Key Facts
- Categorized as a Apollo-class Asteroid
- Comparable in size to a basketball court
- Will pass within 11,811,623 km of Earth in 2022
- Classified as a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA)
- Classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA)
- See orbit simulation
Overview
2022 OL is a very small asteroid whose orbit crosses the orbit of Earth. NASA JPL has classified 2022 OL as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" due to its predicted close pass(es) with Earth.
2022 OL orbits the sun every 1,080 days (2.96 years), coming as close as 0.67 AU and reaching as far as 3.46 AU from the sun. Based on its brightness and the way it reflects light, 2022 OL is probably between 0.125 to 0.281 kilometers in diameter, making it a small to average asteroid, very roughly comparable in size to a basketball court.
Close Approaches
2022 OL's orbit is 0.04 AU from Earth's orbit at its closest point. This means that there is a wide berth between this asteroid and Earth at all times.
2022 OL has 7 close approaches predicted in the coming decades:
| Date | Distance from Earth (km) | Velocity (km/s) |
|---|---|---|
| July 12, 2022 | 11,811,623 | 18.441 |
| June 25, 2025 | 29,668,362 | 13.896 |
| Jan. 31, 2043 | 6,480,113 | 19.891 |
| Jan. 31, 2130 | 17,718,338 | 21.472 |
| Feb. 5, 2133 | 7,379,794 | 19.313 |
| Feb. 10, 2136 | 2,829,506 | 17.449 |
| Feb. 20, 2139 | 18,107,009 | 14.509 |
Images and Observations
2022 OL's orbit is determined by observations dating back to July 20, 2022. It was last officially observed on Aug. 29, 2022. The IAU Minor Planet Center records 64 observations used to determine its orbit.
Accessibility and Exploration
This asteroid is not considered a viable target for human exploration by the NHATS study.Similar Objects
These objects have orbits that share similar characteristics to the orbit of 2022 OL:References
Search
or view a random objectOrbital Elements
- Epoch: 2460200.5 JD
- Semi-major axis: 2.065 AU
- Eccentricity: 0.6756
- Inclination: 6.61°
- Longitude of Ascending Node: 329.67°
- Argument of Periapsis: 239.36°
- Mean Anomaly: 157.93°
Physical Characteristics
- Diameter: ~0.162 km
- Magnitude: 21.63
Derived Characteristics
- Orbit Period: 1,080 days (2.96 years)
- Avg. Orbit Speed: 20.80 km/s
- Aphelion Distance: 3.46 AU
- Perihelion Distance: 0.67 AU
Map Comparison
Orbit Simulation
Sky Map
The position of 2022 OL is indicated by a ◯ pink circle. Note that the object may not be in your current field of view. Use the controls below to adjust position, location, and time.
Size Rendering
The below comparison is an artistic rendering that uses available data on the diameter of 2022 OL to create an approximate landscape rendering with New York City in the background. This approximation is built for full-resolution desktop browsers. Shape, color, and texture of asteroid are imagined.
